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Supporting Women: A Family Affair

I was on Temple Square with my family yesterday. We were there to support the Ordain Woman movement. And it was amazing! I’m not a member of Ordain Women. It’s not that I don’t agree with their premise that women could be ordained to the priesthood. But Elder Oaks’ remarks at the 2014 Priesthood session, and recent statements by the LDS Church, seem to close the lid on that subject- at least for now.

I’m not posting to argue the doctrine on this issue. Many of you have your minds made up that women shouldn’t hold the priesthood, and I respect that. But for all those who would only be getting your information on the 2014 priesthood demonstration from local news media, I’d like to tell you what I experienced on Temple Square yesterday.

My husband, Jang, and I brought our two-year-old son to the demonstration. Because of naptime, we were running late, and would just arrive at the tail end of the event. We parked our car at City Creek and quickly made our way to Temple Square. Within moments, we saw the Ordain Women line. And it…was…huge! It started at the Tabernacle door and wrapped most of the way around the large circular building. Mind you, the women started lining up at 4:30 pm. We got there after 5:30 pm. That means women had been approaching the door and been turned away for over an hour before we got there. Some estimates put the number of participants at 500+ people, and I’m inclined to believe that figure is accurate.

And that wasn’t the most impressive part. This next part, you might not believe, but I swear it’s the truth—the line was almost entirely comprised of men and women. The sight was so impressive my husband and I stopped for a moment and took it in. I even teared up a little bit. The men and women in that line were standing side-by-side, happy and peaceful. They looked like there was no other place in this world they’d rather be. It was exactly what I’d always dreamed of seeing in our Church. Men and women, working together as participants with an equal voice. The symbolism of that just astounds me.

I hadn’t been sure if I would stand in line, and I definitely wasn’t going to push Jang to join me if I did. But the urge to join with these people quickly became overpowering. And bless his heart, Jang was right beside me as we quickly took our places at the back of the line.

Our family together in the priesthood session standby line.

As we stood in the slow-moving line, we started chatting with the women and men around us, who were all very friendly. Some were staunch supporters of OW. Others, like me, were there to show their support for all the Movement had already accomplished to expand women’s role in the Church. We talked and laughed as we recounted our reasons for coming. For some, just getting to the demonstration had been an adventure.

Then, the conversation hushed as the front of the line came into view. An Ordain Women spokeswoman was positioned to the side, and as we drew up by her she explained that each person or group would have the chance to speak to the usher at the front of the line. We would be turned away, and should then quietly leave the Square. She invited us to a devotional later that night, and then left us to close the short distance to the Tabernacle door.

To the side, I saw groups of people move to the side as they were turned away from the Tabernacle. An OW representative was standing by to give a supportive hug to those recently rejected. Some individuals seemed excited and relieved; others, mostly women, had tears streaming down their faces. I sympathized with these latter women, who felt this rejection so deeply. Jang and I unabashedly eavesdropped on the woman in front of us who, as she was turned away by the matronly usher at the door, explained that this denial by the Church would be the final one for her—she was leaving the Church.

Then it was our turn. Jang and I approached the kindly woman at the door. She had been there for hours at this point, but she radiated calmness and compassion. I had watched her sympathetically listen to the countless women and men before me, some of whom were quite emotional. We both knew that she would have to turn us away, and I had nothing to say in protest. So I shook her hand and thanked her for listening to all the people who had gone before me. She apologized for having us stand in line so long with an infant, and after a little more chitchat, we were on our way.

Yes, my husband and I were turned away from the door of the Tabernacle. Yes, if Jang had gone by himself he probably would have been let in. But honestly, that experience was one of the most special of my life. And I’m so glad I could share it with my wonderful, supportive husband and friend.